Host Hattie

Aren't they generally more expensive as well?

Thanks, we did an excursion on our last visit so I'm looking forward to seeing the town this time.

I noticed our shore excursion locations had changed last night so I wasn't surprised when I had the email this morning. I'd been expecting it after P&O had moved their calls to Toulon but I was a bit disappointed that they couldn't find another French port. We're due to call there on QM2 next June so it'll be interesting to see if we make it then.

@2BACRUISER thank you very much for taking the time to post your review and your additional thoughts. I'm looking forward to hearing about your next trip !

Just shows how things can change by cruise and also time of the evening. If the show is popular other areas of the ship can be quiet while people are in the theatre.

Thanks for posting from the ship, enjoy the rest of your trip.

I've only been on Eurodam and that was 11 years ago so I'm not sure how helpful this will be but - Cunard is more British and more formal Still has fixed dinner sittings If you're OK with both those I'd be tempted to try Cunard.

That doesn't sound very likely

I can't imagine how disappointing that must be, I hope you can arrange something despite the short notice.

They are usually referred to as hair straighteners in the UK, I don't know whether that helps to find them on the Cunard site.

It's at work so connected via cable. If it's really lucky I might try and connect to our wifi at the weekend !

I wouldn't think so, it will be 1 test at your original boarding point.

Well my new laptop is still updating itself, good job I don't have to give my old one back for a while!

How disappointing, I was looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Fred Olsen @safarigal. Have you already got flights booked ?

Seems a bit harsh if anyone is on M229A !

Thanks for the update, have a great time

That's very good news. Have a great time with your family.

Interesting, thanks. Is it booked as one sailing ? That sounds like the wording for US departures.

Where are you sailing from ? If it's from Southampton it sounds as if your sailing is being treated as a more complex sailing. We're on a round trip to the Mediterranean.

What a horrible end to your trip, I hope it hasn't put you off sailing again.

Had this earlier for our Queen Victoria sailing next month - From 6 September 2022, there will be some changes to our vaccination policy, and in addition, self‑testing prior to travel will change from ‘mandatory’ to ‘highly recommended’ for vaccinated guests on the majority of Cunard holidays, including yours. Only guests sailing on longer, or more complex itineraries, will be required to have an observed or in-person lateral flow/antigen test and provide a fit‑to‑travel certificate before departure. Our new vaccination and testing policy comes into effect from 6 September 2022 onwards. Vaccination requirements for your voyage. For your voyage all guests aged 18 years and over need to be fully vaccinated* with an approved Covid‑19 vaccine a minimum of 14 days prior to travel. If more than 270 days (calculated from the last day of the cruise) have passed since the full completion of a vaccination course, a booster vaccine will also be needed and must be administered a minimum of seven days prior to travel. Guests who have had one booster vaccine, regardless of the date, are considered fully vaccinated. At this time, a second booster vaccination is not required, however, we strongly recommend all guests to have booster vaccinations at the earliest opportunity, should they be available to them, in order to comply with evolving vaccine policies from the countries we visit. Guests 17 years of age and under are not required to be vaccinated. *The definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ is having completed an approved (by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL)) two‑dose Covid‑19 vaccination course, or the approved single‑dose Janssen Covid‑19 vaccine (plus a booster if applicable Testing requirements for your voyage. For your voyage, while testing is no longer mandatory, we highly recommend that all fully vaccinated guests aged five and over, take a Covid‑19 lateral flow/antigen test in the three days before, or on the day of your ship's departure. Guests aged 5‑17 years who are not fully vaccinated will still need to take a Covid‑19 lateral flow/antigen test in the three days before, or on the day of your ship's departure. You’ll no longer need to provide a test certificate for these guests, but you must be able to provide photo evidence of your negative test if asked. Guests will also be asked to confirm that a test has been taken, with a negative result, as part of the pre‑boarding health declaration at the cruise terminal.

Thanks again for taking us with you. Overall did you enjoy the experience?

There are some recent numbers from Southampton in this thread. Some passengers had their sailings on Queen Elizabeth cancelled earlier in the year due to lack of crew.

Thanks for writing a review, I look forward to reading it once it's published. Thanks also for the pictures of your outfits, they look great.

Thanks for letting us know the outcome. I've added it to the original thread so that original story and relatively successful outcome are together.